Pupils have trouble crossing road

It has been brought to the council's attention the problem pupils are having crossing the road during the morning rush.

The junction in question, the Woodhill, Wester Cledden Road T-junction. Wester Cleddens Road is very busy and traffic queuing to join it from Woodhill Road make it almost impossible for pupils to cross safely.

Within minutes large groups of children struggle to stay on the pavement.

The council have promised to investigate and I will let you know the results as soon as I have them.

Meanwhile let's hope it's resolved before any incident occurs.

Comment received...

"Yes, this crossing looks very dangerous, more so in the afternoon when there is a 'rush' of pupils all at the same time. Because of the density of traffic there is no opportunity for kids to cross without having to cross between cars waiting to turn right and cars have to pull up suddenly when turning into Woodhill Road from Wester Cleddens Rd and are confronted with groups of ten or fifteen pupils. The pupils themselves are doing their best, but I wouldn't attempt to cross here at that time of day as an adult.

We're still waiting - I understand that the council are investigating. Let's hope they don't take too long.
Now a month later and nothing has been done....

Comment sent to the site...

I received this comment - I think it is very important...

"Below is the letter that the Council claim shows that the School Board supports the Thomas Muir site.

The Interim School Board did not actually respond during the consultation period which ended in May, so strictly speaking their response should not have been included along with those School Boards who took the trouble to submit their thoughts before the deadline.

At no time did the School Board actually solicit the views of the parents it is supposed to represent. The letter even says it is THEIR OWN thoughts - not the parents!!

The letter also makes it clear that the Builders had only SUGGESTED that there would be benefits, which as we all know are in short supply even now that the convenient cloak of secrecy has been partly removed from the proposal. The real benefits are to the Builders bottom line...not the pupils of the future generations of Bishopbriggs.

The second last paragraph even states that the benefits have still to be proven.

Therefore if Sandy McGarvie and the Lib Dems are taking this as support for this decision they are on shaky ground. No change there then!

It should be noted also that a School Board survey of those taking part in the Human Chain showed that no one was concerned with 'House Prices'. The main concerns were Parking, pupils’ safety and the distance to school.

As the Academy is a new entity shouldn't there be fresh elections for a new School Board....one that asks parents and listens to their concerns rather than apparently representing themselves or their employers."

The letter that the board sent to councillors....

16 June 2006



Dear Councillor,

PROPOSED SITE OF BISHOPBRIGGS ACADEMY

We are writing to you in our position as joint Chairs of the Interim School Board for Bishopbriggs Academy to express our views on the proposed site for the new school.

It has come to the notice of the Board that a pressure group purporting to be the voice of the majority of residents of Woodhill is holding a demonstration on Saturday 17th June 2006. The purpose of this demonstration is to voice concern regarding the possible site of the new school on the grounds of Thomas Muir High School.

In light of this information, we feel that it is the duty of the elected school board to voice our own thoughts on where the new school should be built.

During this process over the past couple of years, various proposals have been put forward and it is fair to say that members of both the Bishopbriggs High School Board and Thomas Muir High School Board were of the opinion that the new school should be built at their own respective site.

As you know the majority of parents and responses to the Council were that the new school should be built at the Bishopbriggs High site. However, the builders have now suggested that they would be able to build a bigger and better facility at the Thomas Muir site. This suggestion has caused some consternation amongst this pressure group as they do not want a school built in ‘their backyard’. This view does not seem to take into account that fact that there is already a school on that site and has been for the past 28 years.

It is fair to say that initially the Interim Board was divided on this issue until clarification was sought from the Council regarding the proposed significant educational benefits that would be gained from building at Thomas Muir. The response included the following points:

• A safer and more secure educational environment
• Increased external sports facilities
• Clearer site lines for supervision
• Improved access
• Less traffic congestion
• Located in a residential area away from noise pollution
• A better sense of community
• A social hub that is flat and not vertically stacked
• A flat topography ensuring maximum quality of design
• A design that is not constrained by the physical barriers of the site (i.e. the existing private nursery and former janitor’s house at the Bishopbriggs site)


Following on from receiving this information it became the view of the Interim Board that it was the duty of all concerned to build the best possible school at the best possible site. If the Council decided to build on the Thomas Muir site if this met the criteria then that would indeed provide the best possible educational facility for the children and residents of Bishopbriggs for the next 30 years.

It is fair to say that the Board is concerned regarding the actions of the pressure group that do not seem to have the best interests of the children at heart and are only driven to ensure that the school is not built on their doorstep thus possibly reducing the value of their homes. This argument is flawed and blinkered. The Board is concerned that some councillors are taking the view that the pressure group speak for the majority of Bishopbriggs residents when in actual fact they are not.

The opportunity to build a brand new school and community facility does not come along everyday. This is the one and only chance we will have to create a fantastic educational facility of the highest standard for the pupils and residents of Bishopbriggs for the next 30 or so years.

The Board would urge that the councillors do not vote to assuage the voices of a few who are blinkered in the views and that the decision is taken to build the new school on the best possible site. If that is proven to be the site at Thomas Muir then that is where the new school should be built.

The children of Bishopbriggs deserve the best school possible and only if the Council select the BEST site will they actually get what they deserve.


Yours sincerely



William Graham
Carol Johnstone

Co-Chairs
Interim School Board
Bishopbriggs Academy

The letter has been published under the school boards legal responsibility as stated in school board legislation ...

Legal responsibilities

Public and parents have right of access to meetings and to documentation

Parents hit out at new school arrangements

"Pupils wait while teachers are bussed in"

From Alister Mackay's story in this weeks Bishopbriggs Herald...

"Bishopbriggs Academy pupils are having to stand in the playground while teachers are bussed back and forward between buildings."

Both sites have rearranged their timetable to allow 15 minutes between periods to accommodate these transfers.

One concerned mother said: "...it seems neither the teachers or pupils know what is going on."

Another mum said: "It's absolutely awful... Our children's education is suffering because of this and it really seems that the right hand doesn't know what the left is doing."

The head teacher has assured parents they are working to make sure pupils don't lose any class time.

The head teacher had this to say: "Under no circumstances would pupils be asked to go outside if it was either cold or wet."

"Yes, there is often a waiting time, but this has been kept to a minimum and this will only be untill all the pupils are together in October."

Other concerned parents have contact John Simmons (Head of Education) directly over the new time table arrangements.

School Board Letter

Update to the Press Release post

On Tuesday 29th August Mr McGarvey called to say he stands by the Press Release - that the interim school board agreed with the council decision, before the council had made it.

Here is what happened...

At a school board meeting, (you can check the minutes) on 22nd May, a point is noted about a protest 'human chain' event. No mention of any letter being sent.

Four weeks later, 16th June, a letter was sent to all councillors from the joint chairs of the Interim school board. During this four weeks, despite, all but one, of the board members having e-mail, myself and other board members were never consulted on its contents.
As soon as I received this letter, I sent a reply stating my disagreement with several points it was trying to make. Points that were later to prove inaccurate.
The letter contained the 'bidders' reasons they decided the proposed school on the Thomas Muir site was better.
At this stage, and to this day, as far as I am aware, none of the Interim school board have seen the design of the school proposed on the Thomas Muir site.

Yet, the council press release, says that the interim school board agreed with the council that it was better than the school proposed on the Bishopbriggs High site!

You can decide if this course of events took place for a specific reason - myself and Sandy McGarvey agree to differ on this point.

...end update

School Board and Parents

Information from the School Board Scotland web site...

"It is a legal requirement that the School Board regularly consults parents on matters which the School Board is considering.

Were the parents consulted before this letter was sent, the council say it supported their decision (see above).
I was on the board and I wasn't consulted, were you?

Again from the web site.

The School Board should consider the following questions...

Does your Board have a clearly defined role?

Have you shared these aims with parents?

How representative is your Board?

What is your relationship with the school?

Is the Board represented on the PTA and does the PTA report at the meetings of the School Board?

Do you liaise on matters of mutual interest such as fund-raising, social events and communications?

Who has responsibility for communication with parents?

How successful have you been communicating with parents?

How often do you attempt to reach parents?

How often do you talk with the teachers?

Do parents know about Board meetings and minutes?

Do parents attend meetings?

Are meetings advertised in advance?

Are there photographs of the School Board alongside the management team in the entrance hall?

All meetings of a School Board must be open to the public. You are expected to advertise, in some way, every meeting of your School Board in order to ensure that parents and members of the local community know when, where and at what time a meeting will take place and so allow them to attend, if they so wish.

Legal responsibilities

Public and parents have right of access to meetings and to documentation (ask to see the letter)

Next meeting is 7pm - Wednesday 30th August in Bishopbriggs Academy - not sure which one.

Jo Swinson wanted school on Bishopbriggs High Site

MP Jo Swinson, disagreed with her Lib Dem councillor colleagues decision to move the site of the new Bishopbriggs Academy.

While she agreed that the Thomas Muir site did have some advantages, better sporting facilities and better arrangements during construction. She felt that the views of the people of Bishopbriggs, the central location of the site, at Bishopbriggs High, offer a community resource that weighed more heavily than a move to the Thomas Muir site.

Sadly, like the result of the consultation with the people of Bishopbriggs, the council decide to move the school to a site on the outskirts of the town.

A site with no local park, not near the town library, no large shopping centre nearby, fewer transport links. It does have a dangerous road linking it to Cadder, the quickest route to the site, but that route is not recognised by the council (see below).

But it is flat, square, and easier to build on than the High School site!


Picture supplied by the Lib Dems

August 2008 slips to 2009?

In a letter to parents, dated 23rd June, the head teacher announced...

"...the new Bishopbriggs Academy which, as you know, is due to open in August 2008."

In the Bishopbriggs Herald (23rd August, page 9) a council spokesperson said:

"Bishopbriggs Academy is scheduled to be built on the site of Thomas Muir High by the beginning of 2009."

Have the council announced any reason for the slippage?

Comments

After a lot of requests I have allowed comments...

Please remember that anyone can read these 'comments'.

Comments do NOT represent my opinion but that of the sender.

Press release

In a press release issued by East Dunbartonshire council on the 7th of August announcing the councils decision on the new schools. They close with these paragraphs...

" The detail of this alternative option was scrutinised by the Council’s Educations Quality Development Service and external advisers who found the TMHS site to be more advantageous in terms of educational benefits...

...Teaching unions, the EIS and SSTA agreed with this view as did a majority of the associated Primary School Boards. The interim School Board for Bishopbriggs Academy also supports this view.

As a serving member of the board until the last meeting I would like to know where this information came from. The school board did NOT know the councils decision until the same day as the public.

How can you agree with something you don't know about?

I called Claire Robertson and asked her where this information came from.

Claire called to inform me that Sandy McGarvey had approved the Press Release on the grounds that a letter sent by the Interim School Board backed this statement. Mr McGarvey was unavailable for comment.

See update School Board Letter... post

The Board did not know the council decision until the same day as the public, weeks after the letter was sent. Therefore, the Council position is, the Board agreed to decision before the council made one!

I was angry when the letter was emailed to myself, and other Board members, after it had been sent. I pointed out the letter was questionable and my comments were later backed up by statistics gathered by another Board member.

I understand that Board correspondence is available in the public domain, once that is clarified I will post it here then you can decide for yourself.

more to come...

The press release is published on several web sites including the ipfa and pfi here.

Future use of the Bishopbriggs High School site

Alistair Laing contacted me with his view on the future use of the Bishopbriggs High School site...

"My next concern is regarding the future use of the Bishopbriggs High School Campus and in particular with the new Sports Hall.

I have been invloved to a minor extent with local youth football for some time. All the clubs are always looking for a gymnasium during the winter months to use in the evening. I am sure there are other organisations that could utilise this facility.

There are a number of football pitches (although none in Bishopbriggs) that have been covered with third Generation Astro Turf. Contained within this pitch are three smaller pitches that run across the pitch. These are excellent and I am sure could be utilised for other purposes.

At least one of the pitches adjacent to the Gym could be similarly upgraded.

I have contacted the planning department and my Councillor to ascertain their intentions for this site. I am waiting for a reply and will let you know what the reply is when I get it."

Maybe they'll read this and reply, I know (IP address logging) that this site is visited often by the council!

Proposed school on Bishopbriggs High site

For all the people who were not privilege to see the proposed school that could have been built on the High School site.

The build would have taken place while the existing school was in use, the same as other builds within the project.

I, along with others that viewed the InspirED school, were amazed at the superb use of space, the light open areas, the sports halls and dinning area with it's glass walls. Two pitches and basketball courts, ample parking and the central atrium.

It's a pity the public were not invited to view the designs.

I can assure you both designs for the site met all the criteria the council asked for.

Eric Gotts letter to the Herald

I have sent the follow letter to councillor Gotts...

"In your letter you again repeat that the interim school board supported the council decision.

This statement is false.

I was a member of the board at the time - how could the school board support a decision before the council had made one?

The last meeting of the board was on 28th June, the council's decision was kept secret until the Scottish Executive had been informed.

The letter sent to councillors regarding the Woodhill Action Group was not shown to board members before it was sent and did not represent the view of all members.

I welcome your comments on how the board supported the council decision before they knew what that decision was."

I look forward to his reply. It's now November and he has not replied.

Councillor Gotts letter included this statement...

"...the new build would have been on the existing playing fields, with very little space for pupil movement on the rest of the site"

Can councillor Gotts name another school that is being rebuilt where this is not the case?

Maybe St Ninian's - but they'll be on the Thomas Muir site while the Bishopbriggs Academy is built - on the playing fields!

Row rumbles on

This week's Bishopbriggs Herald has another new school story on page one.

With more quotes from a council spokesperson on educational benefits of the Thomas Muir site...

"At a time when child obesity is such a big issue, the availability of exercise is very important and is a definite educational benefit."

A school in the centre of the town, that is within walking distance for most pupils, would be better than one built on the outskirts. Parents may chose to drive their children to the new school, will that combat obesity? Was obesity part of the educational decision? - I'll check when I see the minutes in September.

"Likewise, airier rooms with more natural light and the flexibility of layout offered by the Thomas Muir site will also improve the learning environment..."

An enclosed courtyard design (the one the council chose) offers LESS light than the open design proposed on the High School site.

"Westerhill Road is not recognised by the council as a safe walking route..."

That's OK then, so the children won't use it?

The future of the £1 million sport hall (opened in 2002) is uncertain. A council spokesperson said they could not make any firm comment on the future of the facility.

Why? They own it, and the land - why can they not make the availability of the hall a pre requisite to any sale?

Location, Location, Location

Where's the best site for a school in Bishopbriggs?

The one nearest the town centre?
The one close to amenities?
The one the people of Bishopbriggs chose?
The one where the best schools in Bishopbriggs have stood for over forty years?

or the one that the council decide?

First time here?

Welcome - Remember to use the Archive option on the right to see older posts.

Please contact me with any comments.

Thank you to everyone for your fantastic support since this web site was launched.

It's just a pity the council rejected the strength of public feeling when they voted to build Bishopbriggs Academy on the Thomas Muir site.

'Comments' are now active on ALL posts.

Adaptation not ready?

After seven weeks holiday, and despite assurances that adaptations would be ready, I have been told that they have still to be completed.

Including setting up Computers for Graphic Communications at both the High School and Technical Studies department on the Thomas Muir site.

Extra in service day...

The councils reason for the extra day's holiday appears in this week's (22nd August) edition of the Bishopbriggs Herald.

It includes this statement...

"The delay in re-opening was because a number of adaptations were carried out inside the schools during the holiday period"

I have written to the head teacher asking if this is the case.... I spoke to him yesterday and he has assured me that everything is complete on both sites.

"no pupil who returned to school June would have suffered with regard to falling behind or not starting any courses."

He also wished that parents would contact him directly with any concerns they may have.

Please tell me if you know of any other issues parents should be aware of.

What now for the Primary schools?

With only one non-denominational secondary in Bishopbriggs what does the future hold for the five feeder primary schools?

This graph show the predicted rolls, after roll capping (dotted line), from figures supplied by the council (February 2004).

large version here

Will all five remain after the new Bishopbriggs Academy opens?

If there are closures what will happen to the staff and land?

Ask your councillor.

Parent accuses council of school cover-up

Excerpts from the August 16th edition of the Bishopbriggs Herald.

Call for private school meeting to be made public

Parent accuses council of school cover-up

"An irate parent is claiming East Dunbartonshire Council is covering up how the decision was made on where to site the new Bishopbriggs Academy."

The minutes of the 'private' meeting will not be made public until the end of 2006.

I contacted the council to clarify this...

They confirmed that inline with council procedure the minutes of council meetings are not made public until they have been passed at the next council meeting. This will take place on 28th September (four months from the last meeting).

If anyone questions the minute this may delay their publication further.

As the council said in their answer to me...

Perhaps that gap has given the wrong impression about publication of the minutes...

I totally agree... only the council can change that opinion.

Mr McMillan asked how much the consultations cost, this also goes unanswered.

Councillor Alex Hannah had this to say about the meeting...

"...the meeting was one of the most undemocratic he has ever taken part in."

"...we were given a book which had all the responses to the consultation in it, but that was put to one side and the only things discussed were the commercial benefits of either site."

"...I thought the opinions of the parents and community would be given equal weighting with the commercial benefits, but that didn't happen."

"...The overwhelming majority of public opinion was against the move to the Thomas Muir site, but those views were given no consideration"

See this post

The vote on where to site Bishopbriggs Academy was split 12 votes for and 12 votes against.

The Provost holds the casting vote and voted with her Lib Dem councillors to built the school on the Thomas Muir site.
Thus allowed the project to be completed in two years, another commercial consideration?

The reason for the 'private' meeting was given as commercial sensitivity regarding the preferred bidder.

As this is now in the public domain I can see no reason for all 'non financial' information from the minutes to be published.

Contact your councillor and ask why you cannot see the minutes until the end of the year.

Their details are here .

Board members Bishopbriggs Academy

List of current (August 2006) school board members and previous school board membership...

Ms Johnstone, Thomas Muir
Ms McDougall, Thomas Muir
Mr Aitken, Thomas Muir
Mr Willox, Thomas Muir
Mr Sirel, Thomas Muir
Mr Ingram, Thomas Muir
Ms Cadden, Thomas Muir

Ms Stewart, Bishopbriggs High
Ms Graham, Bishopbriggs High
Mr Low, Bishopbriggs High
Mr Hewitt, Bishopbriggs High

Contact details are available from the School

As you can see with the recent resignations the board now consists of 7 Thomas Muir board members and 4 from the High School board.

Please note from the minutes of school board meeting 3rd November 2005...

"Parental Involvement Bill

In July 2006 the Bill will become an Act. It is anticipated that parent councils will replace school boards. The format will have to be decided. Emphasis will be on the parent side as opposed to the teaching side. There will be a transitional period to phase out boards."

The size of the School Board is set down by law.



The Headteacher

The Headteacher is not a member of the Board but does have a right to be present and to speak at Board meetings, and to act in an advisory capacity on any matter that falls within the Board's remit. How this works in practice may vary from Board to Board. It is for Boards to reach their own decisions, taking account of the advice given to them by their Headteachers.

The current board set-up has to be agreed with the Scottish Executive as it is larger than the law allows.

Contract details

Financial close is expected during January 2007.

Bidders were InspirED (Amec) and Axiom (Laing ORourke, ABN Amro.)

Project Value (Estimated) £100,000,000

Start Date: Jan/Feb, 2007 Contract Period: 24 Months

Bearsden Academy
£19m - 1,200 pupils - 11,733 square metres
Cost per pupil = £15,833

Bishopbriggs HS/Thomas Muir HS rebuild*
£19.4m - 1,200 pupils - 11,733 square metres
Cost per pupil = £16,166

Douglas Academy
£18.1m - 1,050 pupils - 11,384 square metres
Cost per pupil = £17,238

Kirkintilloch HS
£16.2m - 850 pupils - 9,327 square metres
Cost per pupil = £19,058

St. Ninians HS
£15.8m - 850 pupils - 9,327 square metres
Cost per pupil = £18,588

Turnbull HS
£13.8m - 650 pupils - 8,188 square metres
Cost per pupil = £20,769

If everything stays 'as above' the project would appear to be £2.3million over budget before they start!

It's interesting to compare the number of pupils and cost per site.

*I understand that the costs include the complex decant and the demolition and preparation of both sites at Bishopbriggs.

Let's hope they update this part of the contract information...

"Thomas Muir High School and Bishopbriggs High School -04428859- will be amalgamated with one new school being put on the Bishopbriggs High School site (South Crosshill Rd, Bishopbriggs, G64 2NN )"

Information source here on the Glenigan site.

Plans

East Dunbartonshire Council
Tom Johnston House Civic Way, Kirkintilloch, Glasgow, Strathclyde, G66 4TJ
Tel: 0141 578 8000 Fax: 0141 777 8576
email: general@eastdunbarton.gov.uk
Contact: Mr Gordon Currie , Project Manager